The Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations were announced this morning — in which the actors applaud their peers for the finest performances of the year.
Last year’s winners were Colin Firth, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale, Melissa Leo, and The King’s Speech. Sound familiar? The winner of the Best Ensemble award is virtually guaranteed a Best Picture nominations at the Academy Awards.
Yes, all eyes will be on the SAG Awards this year.
SAG AWARDS NOMINEES 2011
Film
Outstanding performance by a male actor in a leading role
DEMIÁN BICHIR / Carlos Galindo – “A BETTER LIFE”
GEORGE CLOONEY / Matt King – “THE DESCENDANTS”
LEONARDO DiCAPRIO / J. Edgar Hoover – “J. EDGAR”
JEAN DUJARDIN / George – “THE ARTIST”
BRAD PITT / Billy Beane – “MONEYBALL”
Outstanding performance by a female actor in a leading role
GLENN CLOSE / Albert Nobbs – “ALBERT NOBBS”
VIOLA DAVIS / Aibileen Clark – “THE HELP”
MERYL STREEP / Margaret Thatcher – “THE IRON LADY”
TILDA SWINTON / Eva – “WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN”
MICHELLE WILLIAMS / Marilyn Monroe – “MY WEEK WITH MARILYN”
Outstanding performance by a male actor in a supporting role
KENNETH BRANAGH / Sir Laurence Olivier – “MY WEEK WITH MARILYN”
ARMIE HAMMER / Clyde Tolson – “J. EDGAR”
JONAH HILL / Peter Brand – “MONEYBALL”
NICK NOLTE / Paddy Conlon – “WARRIOR”
CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER / Hal – “BEGINNERS”
Outstanding performance by a female actor in a supporting role
BÉRÉNICE BEJO / Peppy – “THE ARTIST”
JESSICA CHASTAIN / Celia Foote – “THE HELP”
MELISSA McCARTHY / Megan – “BRIDESMAIDS”
JANET McTEER / Hubert Page – “ALBERT NOBBS”
OCTAVIA SPENCER / Minny Jackson – “THE HELP”
Outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture
“THE ARTIST”
“BRIDESMAIDS”
“THE DESCENDANTS”
“THE HELP”
“MIDNIGHT IN PARIS”
TV
Outstanding performance by a male actor in a drama series
PATRICK J. ADAMS / Mike Ross – “SUITS”
STEVE BUSCEMI / Enoch “Nucky” Thomson – “BOARDWALK EMPIRE”
KYLE CHANDLER / Eric Taylor – “FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS”
BRYAN CRANSTON / Walter White – “BREAKING BAD”
MICHAEL C. HALL / Dexter Morgan – “DEXTER”
Outstanding performance by a female actor in a drama series
KATHY BATES / Harriet Korn – “HARRY’S LAW”
GLENN CLOSE / Patty Hewes – “DAMAGES”
JESSICA LANGE / Constance – “AMERICAN HORROR STORY”
JULIANNA MARGULIES / Alicia Florrick – “THE GOOD WIFE”
KYRA SEDGWICK / Dept. Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson – “THE CLOSER”
Outstanding performance by a male actor in a comedy series
ALEC BALDWIN / Jack Donaghy – “30 ROCK”
TY BURRELL / Phil Dunphy – “MODERN FAMILY”
STEVE CARELL / Michael Scott – “THE OFFICE”
JON CRYER / Alan Harper – “TWO AND A HALF MEN”
ERIC STONESTREET / Cameron Tucker – “MODERN FAMILY”
Outstanding performance by a female actor in a comedy series
JULIE BOWEN / Claire Dunphy – “MODERN FAMILY”
EDIE FALCO / Jackie Peyton – “NURSE JACKIE”
TINA FEY / Liz Lemon – “30 ROCK”
SOFIA VERGARA / Gloria Delgado-Pritchett – “MODERN FAMILY”
BETTY WHITE / Elka Ostrovsky – “HOT IN CLEVELAND”
Outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series
“BOARDWALK EMPIRE”
“BREAKING BAD”
“DEXTER”
“GAME OF THRONES”
“THE GOOD WIFE”
Outstanding performance by an ensemble in a comedy series
“30 ROCK”
“THE BIG BANG THEORY”
“GLEE”
“MODERN FAMILY”
“THE OFFICE”
Outstanding performance by a male actor in a television movie or miniseries
LAURENCE FISHBURNE / Thurgood Marshall – “THURGOOD”
PAUL GIAMATTI / Ben Bernanke – “TOO BIG TO FAIL”
GREG KINNEAR / Jack Kennedy – “THE KENNEDYS”
GUY PEARCE / Monty Beragon – “MILDRED PIERCE”
JAMES WOODS / Richard Fuld – “TOO BIG TO FAIL”
Outstanding performance by a female actor in a television movie or Miniseries
DIANE LANE / Pat Loud – “CINEMA VERITE”
MAGGIE SMITH / Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham – “DOWNTON ABBEY”
EMILY WATSON / Janet Leach – “APPROPRIATE ADULT”
BETTY WHITE / Caroline Thomas – “HALLMARK HALL OF FAME: THE LOST VALENTINE”
KATE WINSLET / Mildred Pierce – “MILDRED PIERCE”
*
Some surprises: lesser-known actors over Michael Fassbender and Ryan Gosling, particularly Demian Bichir. Albert Brooks absent from Supporting Actor — apparently SAG really did not enjoy Drive. Replacing him, Armie Hammer is also a surprise. No surprises in Best Actress — these contenders are likely to repeat at the Oscars, but you never know. Shailene Woodley’s absence from Supporting Actress is a minor upset, while Janet McTeer came seemingly out of nowhere.
The Descendants is still the only film that’s pretty much guaranteed a Best Picture nomination at the Academy Awards, and now The Help and The Artist have probably secured their places at the table, too.
REAL NOBODY 
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